Climbing the Pyramid
Date: 13 Apr 2002 , The Press, Christchurch, page WE16
Caption(s): Above: Pyramid Peak, Arthurs Pass National Park, from the lower Hawdon Valley. Right: Pyramid Peak: commanding views of the Hawdon and Waimakariri river flats.

FACT FILE Drive to Mount White Bridge and Hawdon valley shelter, off SH73. Access to The Pyramid route is gained at the very toe of the south east ridge in the mouth of Sudden Valley stream. This is then followed, via an old rough track, to the bush edge and summit ridge. The descent is via the same route or via the steep narrow scree shute which drops from the low peak. This scree is very obvious from the Hawdon valley. Time: 2½ to 3½hrs up. 1½ to 2hrs down via shute. Grading: Moderate Map: K33.

A warm nor'wester sighs down the Hawdon Valley in Arthurs Pass National Park as we stride the grassy terraces of the riverside intent on finding the old track up the south-eastern spur of the Pyramid (1608m).

Standing above the confluence of the Hawdon and Sudden Valley rivers, The Pyramid is immediately identifiable when approaching the park from the south, its angular ridges falling from a small open top in steep bush-covered spurs.

The south-east spur begins from the flats slightly north and west of the river confluence and climbs in virtually one long steep ascent to the bush edge. Here the angle eases for a short distance before climbing even more directly around a small bluff and onto the easier summit ridge from where an easy scramble leads north-west onto the main summit.

The Pyramid, despite its modest height, commands an unobstructed view of the Waimakariri basin and attendant peaks as well as the Hawdon and Sudden Valley watersheds, and provides a spectacular view of the Hawdon and Waimakariri river flats. A cold blustery wind dogs the summit rocks as we hunker down to eat lunch and enjoy the view toward the west where the ragged summits of Wilson and Scott, 2035m and 2009m respectively, tower above the eroded head of Sudden Valley.

Scattered pockets of snow rest above bluffs on the steep southern slopes from where scree slides pour their rock debris into the upper valley.

Although mid-summer, the cold is biting and we elect to eat lunch at a more sheltered location a little further down the ridge before packing up and beginning the even steeper descent to the lower Sudden Valley via a narrow scree shute.

This shute, which begins beneath the low summit of the peak on the south side, is readily gained from the ridge above and once on it, provides a steady though steep descent route all the way to the river below.

We exit on to the sunny banks of Sudden Valley pleased to be off the steep loose scree. We wander the final few hundred metres to the Hawdon river and road end completing an enjoyable and relatively easy day climb to the top.